Clinton Camp: Don't Forget, Team Obama Predicted Victory In IN & NC
The Clinton camp's senior spokesmen sought to downplay expectations going into tomorrow's IN and NC contests, telling reporters on a morning call that Barack Obama has outspent Hillary Clinton in both states, an argument they made repeatedly before PA voters handed a solid win to HRC. Team HRC said that Obama has long held leads in state polls, and unlike in PA, where the candidates had six weeks to make their pleas to voters, the shorter run-up to tomorrow's contests favor Obama. If Clinton pulls out one victory, they argued, it represents a broader national shift to her candidacy.
"These are two states that Sen. Obama predicted he would win, two states that he expected to win, and our positive movement in those states, especially in Indiana, is indicative of a real tide moving in Sen. Clintons’ direction here over the last several weeks," said communications dir. Howard Wolfson.
Clinton's team said the NY Sen has ably targeted issues of interest to working class voters, a gas tax holiday prime among them, and they vowed, regardless of the outcome, to press on.
"We do have the resources necessary to compete and get our message out," Wolfson said. "We will continue to be in that position going forward."
The Huffington Post reported this morning that the Clinton camp has a "secret weapon" at its disposal -- a plan to try to "ram" through the Dem Party's 30-member Rules and Bylaws Comm. a decision to seat the disputed 210-member FL and 156-member MI delegations. "Such a decision would give Clinton an estimated 55 or more delegates than Obama, according to Clinton campaign operatives," reports Tom Edsall of The Huffington Post.
HRC Spokesman Phil Singer indicated on the morning call that the Clinton camp hasn't changed its position on FL and MI, insisting that to exclude FL and MI from the final count would be an "affront to the basic principles that our democracy was founded on."
"Our view is that Florida and Michigan must be counted," Singer said. "That’s a view shared by many other people in this country. Not just in Florida and Michigan, but elsewhere as well."
Perhaps Singer is right. But imagine the outcry, not just from Obama supporters, if a committee of Dem Party insiders changed the final collective outcome of the primaries and caucuses conducted by the 48 states who played by the DNC's rules?
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
It's disgusting that the Clinton campaign is toying with such an idea. It's not just that it would be unelected party insiders making the decision, it's the fact that they are ratifying completely bogus elections that Clinton herself dismissed as irrelevant (until she fell behind).
The last 8 years have been too awful to contemplate voting for McCain or staying home, but are Democrats really supposed to "give to it hurts" to support someone who'd rather destroy her own party than remain a Senator-for-life from New York? Are we supposed to knock doors, look people in the eye and tell them that, despite being run by cynics and narcissists, the Democratic party is the way forward for America?
McCain is getting ready for this. Murphy in the WaPo had a short article talking about why it might not be a coincidence that he's been reaching out to African Americans (especially in NoLa and other southern states) while this is going on.
One might be able to make an argument that HIllary should get the Florida delegates since both she and Obama were on the ballot. However, what is the argument that she should get Michigan's delegates when only she was on the ballot and uncommitted got 45% of the vote? Obama played by the rules, she did not.
If Florida and Michigan are both seated based on these disputed primaries, the DNC can forget about making its rules stick in future elections.
And if Hillary wins by this tactic, it is a given that this will create a serious division in the Party. To have someone who played by the rules, Obama, lose to someone who broke the rules, Hillary, and that is the only reason she has sufficient delegates to win , more than suggests that Hillary has no respect for the governing rules of the contest and by implication other rules as well.
MY FELLOW "BITTER", STUPID, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE :-)
If you think like Barack Obama, that WORKING CLASS PEOPLE are just a bunch of "BITTER"!, STUPID, PEASANTS, Cash COWS!, and CANNON FODDER. :-(
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think Barack Obama with little or no experience would be better than Hillary Clinton with 35 years experience.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience can fix an economy on the verge of collapse better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) led the greatest economic expansion, and prosperity in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience fighting for universal health care can get it for you better than Hillary Clinton. Who anticipated this current health care crisis back in 1993, and fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds to get universal health care for all the American people.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience can manage, and get us out of two wars better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) went to war only when he was convinced that he absolutely had to. Then completed the mission in record time against a nuclear power. AND DID NOT LOSE THE LIFE OF A SINGLE AMERICAN SOLDIER. NOT ONE!
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience saving the environment is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) left office with the greatest amount of environmental cleanup, and protections in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with little or no education experience is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) made higher education affordable for every American. And created higher job demand and starting salary’s than they had ever been before or since.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience will be better than Hillary Clinton who spent 8 years at the right hand of President Bill Clinton. Who is already on record as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that you can change the way Washington works with pretty speeches from Obama, rather than with the experience, and political expertise of two master politicians ON YOUR SIDE like Hillary and Bill Clinton..
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think all those Republicans voting for Obama in the Democratic primaries, and caucuses are doing so because they think he is a stronger Democratic candidate than Hillary Clinton. :-)
Best regards
jacksmith... Working Class :-)
p.s. You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you don't know that the huge amounts of money funding the Obama campaign to try and defeat Hillary Clinton is coming in from the insurance, and medical industry, that has been ripping you off, and killing you and your children. And denying you, and your loved ones the life saving medical care you needed. All just so they can make more huge immoral profits for them-selves off of your suffering...
You see, back in 1993 Hillary Clinton had the audacity, and nerve to try and get quality, affordable universal health care for everyone to prevent the suffering and needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of you each year. :-)
Approx. 100,000 of you die each year from medical accidents from a rush to profit by the insurance, and medical industry. Another 120,000 of you die each year from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don’t die from. And I could go on, and on...
OBAMA AIDE: "WORKING-CLASS VOTERS NOT KEY FOR DEMOCRATS" :o
HILLARY CLINTON CAN BEST WIN IN NOVEMBER:
It's time for everyone to face the truth. Barack Obama has no real chance of winning the national election in November at this time. His crushing defeat in Pennsylvania makes that fact crystal clear. His best, and only real chance of winning in November is on a ticket with Hillary Clinton as her VP.
Hillary Clinton seemed almost somber at her Pennsylvania victory speech. As if part of her was hoping Obama could have proved he had some chance of winning against the republican attack machine, and their unlimited money, and resources.
But it is absolutely essential that the democrats take back the Whitehouse in November. America, and the American people are in a very desperate condition now. And the whole World has been doing all that they can to help keep us propped up.
Hillary Clinton say's that the heat, and decisions in the Whitehouse are much tougher than the ones on the campaign trail. But I think Mr. Obama faces a test of whether he has what it takes to be a commander and chief by facing the difficult facts, and the truth before him. And by doing what is best for the American people by dropping out of the race, and offering his whole hearted assistance to Hillary Clinton to help her take back the Whitehouse for the American people, and the World.
Mr. Obama is a great speaker. And I am confident he can explain to the American people the need, and wisdom of such a personal sacrifice for them. It should be clear to everyone by now that Hillary Clinton is fighting her heart out for the American people. She has known for a long time that Mr. Obama can not win this November. You have to remember that the Clinton's have won the Whitehouse twice before. They know what it takes.
If Mr. Obama fails his test of commander and chief we can only hope that Hillary Clinton can continue her heroic fight for the American people. And that she prevails. She will need all the continual support and help we can give her. She may fight like a superhuman. But she is only human.
Sen. Hillary Clinton: "You know, more people have now voted for me than have voted for my opponent. In fact, I now have more votes than anybody has ever had in a primary contest for a nomination. And it's also clear that we've got nine more important contests to go."
Sincerely
Jacksmith... Working Class :-)
"These are two states that Sen. Obama predicted he would win..." -Clinton's Howard Wolfson
All I've heard from the Obama camp is that they expected Indiana to be a closely fought contest.
When repeating Clinton claims please also report whether they are true. Tell us: Did Obama in fact predict a win in Indiana and, if so, when?
What rules has Hillary broken? Please let's stop this pernicious lie - she hasn't done anything wrong by the DNC. There was no Howard Dean rule to remove your name from the MI ballot; that was voluntarily done by Obama and Edwards to curry favor with Iowa voters. Clinton never 'agreed' with the Dean penalties; she 'agreed' with the early-voting state parties to not participate in MI and FL primaries; there was no agreement with Dean regarding campaigning or the penalties he imposed on FL and MI.
The problem here is that the penalty imposed by Howard Dean was not in keeping with the DNC charter. Two major problems: (1) Under no circumstances was he allowed to exclude the super delegates from either state; they must be re-admitted in full. (2) The second issue is the degree of the penalty - the DNC recommendation is to reduce the delegate strength by one-half. Dean and his supporters bumped that penalty to 100% (to show how 'strong' they were) but that penalty clearly violates the DNC charter.
She hasn't broken any rules. The appeals to the RBC are permitted by Dean's penalty decision and further, she herself is not appealing.
As far as getting outraged because 'unelected party insiders' are going to make a decison? Grow up and get fair! Unelected party insiders are already going to decide this in the guise of super delegates voting for Obama - in many cases super delegates voting against the will of their constituencies. To complain about Hillary gaining an advantage this way while not complaining about Obama doing the same thing is simply a disingenuous argument.
And finally, a request for some sanity when it comes to 'destroying the party' - enough of this crap! No one person is going to destroy the party by exercising their rights, playing by the rules, and waging a tough campaign. That's all Hillary has done. If the Democratic party is going to fold like a wet noodle because of this then perhaps it was not meant to be in the first place. C'mon now!
I just want a Clinton supporter to articulate for me, in a common sense, reasonable way, why she should get the delegates in Michigan. Please explain why this is fair and just.
Thank you
I just want a Clinton supporter to articulate for me, in a common sense, reasonable way, why she should get the delegates in Michigan. Please explain why this is fair and just.
Thank you
I just want a Clinton supporter to articulate for me, in a common sense, reasonable way, why she should get the delegates in Michigan. Please explain why this is fair and just.
Thank you
But imagine the outcry, not just from Obama supporters, if a committee of Dem Party insiders changed the final collective outcome of the primaries and caucuses conducted by the 48 states who played by the DNC's rules?
Where was the outcry over Obama's 50-50 solution for Michigan? You know, the one that gives him votes he hadn't earned because he took his name off the ballot and Clinton won 55% of the vote? It would be assuming that every uncommitted voter and every voter for Kucinich, Dodd and Gravel now want their vote to go to Obama.
That's called vote stealing. Yet I heard crickets chirping here and elsewhere.
And where was the outcry over Obama's campaign blocking the Michigan revote? More crickets.
Elizabeth...I knew by your foul mouth you were an Obamabot. Hillary won fair and square in FL and they both ran ads there, I believe, for a short time. Obama did not want to redo MI because he would LOSE. These two states are crucial to winning in Nov. I wouldn't be surprised if they vote McCain because clearly, winner take all Republicans, get the primary process and the DNC doesn't. No matter what happens 5/6, this will probably go to the convention. I'm looking forward to it.
Elizabeth...I knew by your foul mouth you were an Obamabot. Hillary won fair and square in FL and they both ran ads there, I believe, for a short time. Obama did not want to redo MI because he would LOSE. These two states are crucial to winning in Nov. I wouldn't be surprised if they vote McCain because clearly, winner take all Republicans, get the primary process and the DNC doesn't. No matter what happens 5/6, this will probably go to the convention. I'm looking forward to it.
It's amazing how the Sen. Clinton campaign and their supporters want to change the rules along the way. I'm for every votes being counted; however, what's being proposed by the Clinton folks is nonsense! As "Ed" correctly asked above(instead of foaming at the mouth and acting irrational): Why should Sen.Clinton get the Michigan and Florida delegates? Do you honestly believe that if Sen. Clinton was ahead and that Sen. Obama needed delegates from 2 states where he would fare better than her, she would have agree to "let her have them"? Get real people. She acting and sounding more and more like a sore loser.
I'm neither a Democrat nor Republican. Just another independent American watching this long, dragged out primary. To add to what I stated earlier, those saying Sen. Clinton should get the MI and FL delegates keep ommitting the FACT that she DID agree not participate/campaign in those primaries. She changed her mind afterwards. Now, you guys are saying she should get the votes from those uncontested primaries?
I don't believe that Sen. Obama is ready. He lacks the experience; although he offers hope and has a strong character and seem trustworthy. Sen. Clinton is more experience and has better grasp of the issues. However, she lacks credibility. A large part of her economic plan reminds me too much of the old style big government, that had characterized the Democratic Party for the half century.
Frankly, Sen. Clinton supporters seem to be under the illusion that come November those blue collar voters would vote for her and/or Democratic. True, she has done better than Sen. Obama in attracting blue collar, white voters but that doesn't translate in votes for her against Sen. McCain. What in her background/message indicate that she'd able to attract those same voters in November? Until she ran against Sen. Obama, she's never been popular among white working class voters. Let's be real; either way, it's a third-term for the Bush regime.
The democrats and the liberal press are making a bunch of hay out of Bill Clinton's endorsement and predictions for Obama ... but, everyone knows that in reality, Bill Clinton doesn't like Obama for playing the race card against him, discrediting Clinton's legacy, and trashing HIllary in the primaries. Everyone knows that due to DNC political pressure, Bill and Hillary are compelled to support Obama, to insure their own political futures. Therefore, any endorsements, or predictions about Obama by Bill, or Hillary should be taken with a grain of salt, at best. Personally, it saddens me to see Bill Clinton put in a situation where he has to put party above country.